The Warning Letter tool is utilized in cases where there are serious or urgent behavioral concerns. It serves to inform the participant of AFS guidelines and expectations. It is mainly used in two different kinds of situations: as the final support tool in an ongoing support process that involved a Plan for Success and/or Support Agreement, or to address a serious incident or pattern of behavior that jeopardizes the sustainability of the student’s program upon first occurrence. In either situation, the Warning Letter calls attention to the problematic behavior and describes the expectations for the participant moving forward, which the participant must follow in order for the program to continue and succeed.
AFS Warning Letters are issued by Participant Support and Learning Staff directly to the student. Volunteers should not write or issue any Warning Letter, as it must come from staff. If a volunteer believes a situation warrants the use of a Warning Letter, they should discuss it with their Participant Support and Learning Specialist.
The decision to utilize a Warning Letter is made by Participant Support and Learning Staff, often in consultation with the Manager of Participant Support and Learning and the local volunteers directly involved in supporting the student. As a best practice, the Participant Support and Learning Staff will inform volunteers of the letter’s issuance and focus of content. Sometimes, but not always, staff may review the letter draft with volunteers. Participant Support Staff may also share the draft with the sending partner staff to gain their feedback before issuing the final version to the student, though this is not always the case.
The Warning Letter must be signed by the student and returned directly to staff by a designated date. Once signed and returned, the letter is shared with the sending partner staff and sending parents, local volunteers, and often the host parents as well. Unwillingness or failure to follow the guidance and/or expectations described in the Warning Letter usually result in an Early Return.
Situations where Participant Support Staff may issue a Warning Letter include:
- Ongoing behavioral issues that have not been successfully addressed with a Plan for Success or Support Agreement
- Ongoing non-compliance with academic expectations (see Academic Expectations)
- Vaping or smoking
- Associating with people who use illegal drugs
- Association with illegal underage alcohol consumption
- Consuming alcohol
- Inappropriate online behavior and use of social networks
- Other risky behavior or rule infractions that do not rise to the level of an immediate Early Return
(See AFS guidelines for serious support situations)